


A New Kind of Hello

by vinegar-and-glitter (vinegarandglitter)



Series: One of a Kind [9]
Category: Dear Evan Hansen - Pasek & Paul/Levenson
Genre: Alternate Universe - Clones, F/M, First Dates, Heidi kicked Seamus in the balls and he's been in love ever since
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-05-20
Packaged: 2019-05-09 08:25:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14712587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vinegarandglitter/pseuds/vinegar-and-glitter
Summary: The first time Heidi Hansen met Seamus Sadler, she kicked him in the balls.This is the story of their first date.Part of the One of a Kind universe, set during Chapter 96.





	A New Kind of Hello

**Author's Note:**

> This fic won't make a ton of a lot of sense if you haven't read One of a Kind, but if you have, you'll recognize whereabouts this fits into the story and how it all goes. I hope you enjoy Heidi and Seamus's first date.

It’s been a very long time since Heidi’s been on a date.

 

Okay, that’s not strictly true. It’s been a very long time since Heidi’s been on a date that she actually wanted to be on.

 

As she gets ready in the bathroom of the room that’s become hers over the past few weeks in the old hotel, she thinks back to the last time she went through this whole process of primping for a date.

 

In Evan’s first year of college, she’d gone on a date with a business associate of Larry Murphy’s. Cynthia had arranged it. Heidi had been hesitant - as much as she considered Cynthia a friend, their lives and experiences were very different. She honestly couldn’t see how someone from Cynthia’s world would have anything in common with her.

 

Trevor had been nice and polite and somewhere in the neighborhood of charming. He’d paid for dinner, made small talk and called Heidi the next day to say he’d had a lovely time. When Heidi declined a second date, Cynthia had honestly seemed surprised.

 

Heidi hadn’t had the heart to tell her that Trevor had the personality of a plate of mashed potatoes.

 

Cynthia had said something along the lines of Trevor being kind and financially stable and how Heidi deserved someone to take care of her and Heidi had just… tried very hard not to get offended.

 

She can take care of herself.

  
She’s always been able to take care of herself.

 

She’s muddled through. Not always successfully, but she’s muddled through. She’s kept a roof overhead for herself and her son. She’s kept food on the table. She’s done most of this without anyone’s help. Heidi knows that Cynthia wasn’t trying to be rude, but she’d found the idea of her needing someone to take care of her… hard to swallow.

 

Heidi looks at her reflection in the mirror and puts on some lipstick, trying not to think about Cynthia right now.

 

It feels wrong somehow to be thinking about how this woman offended her without meaning to, now that she’s dead.

 

It feels disrespectful.

 

Heidi had genuinely liked Cynthia. She hadn’t always understood her. Sometimes she’d been almost overwhelmed by the divide between their two lifestyles. But she’d liked her, and now Cynthia’s dead, and so is her husband, but their son is alive, and he broke her son’s heart, and…

 

And she’s about to go on a date with Connor’s other dad.

 

She’s about to go on a date with her son’s ex-boyfriend’s dad.

 

Heidi pulls out an eyeliner pencil and tries not to think about that too much, either, because it’s just… it’s all just a bit insane, and if she thinks about it too hard, she’ll talk herself out of going out to dinner with Seamus Sadler.

 

And yes, there are reasons she shouldn’t, but when it comes down to it…

 

Heidi really wants to go out to dinner with Seamus.

 

She hasn’t been on a date that she genuinely wanted to be on since Evan’s dad.

 

And that’s… not nothing.

 

Heidi would be lying if she said she’d immediately liked Seamus, which she thinks is fair enough considering that the first thing that she did when she laid eyes on him was kick him in the nuts. Then he’d choked out the code phrase and said Evan sent him and… well, the adrenaline from nearly being kidnapped and the knowledge that her son was definitely in danger had kicked in and she’d snapped right into survival mode.

 

She’d packed, she’d gotten ready to go and found Seamus still wincing on the floor, so she’d taken his keys, given him some frozen vegetables for his crotch and driven his car to Boston.

 

That car ride had been weird, to say the least. Seamus wasn’t volunteering a lot of information, and even though she had questions, they could all wait until she’d seen Evan. And then Seamus had insisted they go straight to some hotel instead of actually seeing Evan straight away, and there was Zoe and…

 

There was Connor.

 

Connor Murphy.

 

Connor Murphy, Evan’s secret friend from high school who he’d never mentioned, never talked about and kept hidden from Heidi.

 

Heidi and Evan had gone to Connor’s funeral together, and Evan hadn’t said a word the whole time. Heidi had just sat there the whole time, being glad it wasn’t her son up there in the coffin and feeling like shit that she felt that way, because it just… wasn’t fair.

 

It wasn’t fair to be at the funeral of a seventeen year old who killed himself.

 

Except that Connor hadn’t killed himself. A kid with his face had killed himself, and Connor had swapped places with him.

 

Connor had been living as Ben Childs since he was 17.

 

So that explained the mysterious Ben from New York who Evan had been talking about so much since he first started college in Boston. The rest of it…

 

It’s all still confusing, Heidi thinks as she puts on some earrings. Even though she’s seen six of them all in one place, it’s still so, so strange that human cloning exists and that her son’s life has gotten all tangled up in it.

 

And now her life.

 

Jesus Christ, it’s all a bit ridiculous.

 

But it’s getting better.

 

Heidi puts on a pair of heels and kind of smiles to herself. When she went back home to get some more stuff once it became obvious she’d be staying in Boston for a while, she’d packed a nice outfit just in case, without even thinking about it. This dress is maroon and she likes the way the skirt sits. It’s not often she gets dressed up so the routine’s a bit rusty, but it’s still familiar.

 

She looks at herself in the mirror and nods in satisfaction. It’s been a while, but she still thinks she scrubs up rather well. She picks up her handbag, then makes her way out of her room and down the stairs into the hotel lobby.

 

To find Evan sitting on a sofa, looking at her with an expression of surprise. “Hi Mom,” he says, his voice quiet.

 

She can’t quite disguise her own surprise. She hadn’t been expecting to see Evan in the lobby. He’d barely left his room the last few weeks. “Honey! I thought you were resting.”

 

Evan still looks pale and tired and sick, and it breaks Heidi’s heart. But compared to where he was when Christina and Melody brought him in, he’s definitely improved.

 

Heidi’s never going to forget the sight of him, unconscious on a stretcher, bruised and bloody and with a gaping hole in his stomach.

 

She’s never going to forget the sound of him screaming when he finally woke up. Seeing him thrash against the bed, screaming at the top of his lungs, eyes unseeing, and knowing with a sick feeling in her stomach that he was panicking because he wasn’t dead.

 

Knowing just how much he wanted to be dead.

 

Her son.

 

Her baby.

 

He wanted to be dead.

 

And he nearly got what he wanted.

 

“I just needed a change of scenery,” says Evan with a shrug. He looks her up and down and looks a little confused. “You’re all dressed up. Are you going somewhere?”

 

She’s about to answer when the front door opens and Seamus walks in. He looks good. He’s in a suit, carrying a bouquet of flowers, and Heidi kind of feels this flicker of excitement in her stomach.

 

He looks really, really good in a suit. She’s always known he was a handsome man, and the accent definitely didn’t hurt, but she’s never seen him all scrubbed up and…

 

Well.

 

It’s a good look. It’s a very, very good look.

 

There’s something about the expression on his face that makes Heidi think he might be thinking along similar lines, and that’s…

 

Well, that’s encouraging.

 

The thing is, Heidi’s always known that Seamus finds her attractive. It’s been pretty obvious from day one. She’s not blind. He’d keep looking at her with this kind of smile on his face and while it was flattering, it was also a little weird.

 

To be honest, Heidi had just assumed that he was a bit of a flirt. That it was kind of his natural state of being. She hadn’t thought much of it all until a few days into Evan’s recovery, right after most of the group had left and it was only Heidi, Evan, Seamus, Connor and Gus in the hotel, along with Christina and Melody who came and went.

 

She’d been in the kitchen early in the morning, making a cup of coffee, when Gus had padded in, bleary-eyed with Pampushka. He’d smiled softly when he saw her, and she’d offered him coffee and they’d gotten talking. Gus, it turns out, is one of the easiest people in the entire world to talk to, and soon Heidi found herself absently commenting that Seamus being a flirt was… a little bit distracting.

 

Gus had kind of blinked, then frowned a little. “If he is being disrespectful, this is not good,” said Gus firmly. “He is good man, I do not think he means to make you uncomfortable.”

 

“It’s not that it makes me uncomfortable,” Heidi confessed. “It’s just that… I can take a little harmless flirting. Some people are just… flirty people, and that’s how they are. It’s just… maybe not the time.”

 

Gus had looked at her, expression a little startled. “I would not say that Dad is flirty people,” he says, sounding a bit mystified. “In the years I know him, he does not see women. He tells me it is women he likes, but that he had much love for Anthea.” Gus looks sad for a moment. “Anthea was our mother. She was taken when Connor was taken as a baby, and was killed. I do not think that Seamus has loved since her.”

 

“I haven’t really dated since Evan’s dad left,” Heidi says, still not sure why she’s having this conversation but somehow feeling comfortable spilling her guts to this tall, soft kid with his dog. “I haven’t really loved since him, either.”

 

Gus smiles softly for a moment and pats Heidi on the shoulder. “If Dad makes you feel uncomfortable, you can say. If you tell him this, he will stop. But know that he is not… just flirty people. It is not just pretty face that turns his head.” Gus looks at her, a knowing expression in his mismatched eyes. “Maybe is not the time, this is true. But time and the heart often do not work the same way, yes?”

 

Heidi smiles at him and Seamus seems to relax.

 

“I was going to come and get you from your room,” says Seamus. He looks a little embarrassed. “I just, uh, went to get you flowers-”

 

“They’re lovely,” Heidi says immediately, smiling at him and heading toward him. She takes the flowers from them. They’re not elaborate, but they’re nice. Roses. Red ones. They’re nice. “I’ll just… go put them in some water.”

 

Heidi heads to the kitchen, puts the roses in some water, then takes a deep breath.

 

She wasn’t prepared for flowers, for fuck’s sake.

 

Heidi’s still not sure this is actually happening. That she’s actually going on a date with her son’s ex-boyfriend’s dad. In the middle of this ridiculous situation where they’re all living in an old hotel because Connor’s growing back an eye and Evan’s recovering from a gunshot wound.

 

Then she remembers she’s left Seamus and Evan alone in the lobby and realizes that’s probably a terrible idea.

 

Evan and Seamus have history. And to be honest, it was nearly enough for Heidi to completely rule out the idea with dinner with Seamus before it was even brought up.

 

The days immediately following Evan coming back to the hotel had been harrowing. He’d been in and out of consciousness, and the times he had been awake, he’d either been screaming at the top of his lungs or rambling about how they should have let him die, about how they should never have taken him from DYAD, how Kylie should have shot him in the head, how he should have died when he jumped out of that tree in high school.

 

Every single word out of his mouth felt like a knife to the gut and Heidi had desperately tried to calm him down, to bring him back to himself, when all of a sudden he’d said something that made her blood run cold.

 

“Seamus should have pulled the trigger. He should have shot me when he had the gun to my head.”

 

Christina had administered a sedative, Evan had drifted back into unconsciousness and Heidi had sobbed her heart out. Once she’d stopped crying, she’d gone looking for Seamus.

 

He’d been in the lobby with Connor and Gus, but stood up as she came down the stairs and frowned when he saw her. “Heidi, what’s-”

 

“Did you put a gun to my son’s head?”

 

Both Gus and Connor’s eyes widened in horror, and they both looked at Seamus immediately, who looked at the floor. “I’m not proud of it,” Seamus said quietly. “I was desperate. I needed a way into DYAD to get Gus back.”

 

“So you... threatened him into helping get Gus back?” Connor had asked, a look of utter devastation on his face.

 

Seamus shook his head firmly. “No. No, I didn’t, I… I was just trying to scare him, but he… I put the gun down the minute I realized…”

 

“Realized what?” Heidi demanded, folding her arms and staring challengingly.

 

Seamus looks right at her, his face white and pinched. “He told me to shoot him,” he said quietly. “He told me to shoot him if it would make me feel better. I didn’t. Of course I didn’t. I would never have, I just… he betrayed my sons, I wanted to scare him, to get him to help me get inside DYAD but I didn’t need to. He’s the one who made the plan to get Gus out. He’s the one who got Gus out. It was all Evan.”

 

“Dad,” said Gus softly, his voice full of pain. “Dad, this was not right. I understand you were in pain, but… you must not do this.”

 

“I know,” Seamus replied, looking back at Gus. “I know, and I’m sorry.”

 

Gus had looked troubled and Connor had looked almost sick, then left the lobby. Gus followed him, frowning, Pampushka at his heels, and Seamus had looked back at Heidi, his face still pale.

 

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I’m so, so, so sorry.”

 

“You put a gun to my son’s head,” Heidi said, her voice almost unrecognizable to her own ears. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kick you in the balls again.”

 

“You can if it’ll make you feel better,” Seamus offered, putting his hands in his pockets. “I… Reed and Hannah were both let go from DYAD and I didn’t have any other contacts to get in. After everything that happened between Connor and Evan, I didn’t know if he’d… I didn’t know if he’d want to help, and I couldn’t take the risk that he wouldn’t, so…” Seamus had looked at Heidi then, his eyes sad but a little challenging. “I’m not saying what I did was right, but I would never have actually hurt him. It would have destroyed my sons if I’d hurt him and… I’d do anything for my boys. Absolutely anything.”

 

There had been something so painfully familiar in his eyes that night and Heidi had felt it in her gut. The knowledge that like her, Seamus would burn the world down if it meant protecting his children.

 

The knowledge that they weren’t so different, after all.

 

Evan had traded one of his sons to save the other, and as a parent…

 

God, Heidi still doesn’t know what she would have done in his place.

 

“Just because I understand,” she’d said that night, narrowing her eyes, “doesn’t mean I like it.”

 

“You don’t have to like it,” Seamus had replied, his face softening a little. “But I’m glad you understand. And I swear to you, I would not have hurt him. No matter what.”

 

Heidi heads back into the lobby, where Evan is still sitting on the sofa, looking very confused. She takes Seamus’s arm. “We’re just off to grab some dinner,” she says to Evan. “Be careful and look after yourself. There’s some soup from last night if you want to heat it up and you’ve got my number if you need anything!”

 

And with that, she practically dragged Seamus out the front door.

 

Once they’re outside, Seamus looks at Heidi and chuckles a little sadly. “You’re that desperate to keep me away from your kid, huh?”

 

“It’s not that. I just didn’t expect him to be in the lobby,” she confesses. “Not that I’ve been keeping this from him, but… I don’t know. He’s fragile, and I didn’t… I didn’t know how to bring it up.”

 

“He seemed surprised,” Seamus offers. Heidi notices that he’s taken her hand, and she likes the way their hands fit together. “Do you mind if we take my car? I don’t want to presume.”

 

“That’s fine,” says Heidi, a little charmed, and they head to his car where he genuinely opens the passenger seat door for her, which is… kind of nice.

 

As they drive toward the center of the city, Heidi can’t help but feel that this is all a bit surreal. All dressed up, in a car with a cute guy, about to go out to dinner like they’re normal people.

 

Seamus clears his throat and Heidi looks at him. He looks nervous. Really nervous.

 

Heidi kind of finds that charming, too.

 

“I, uh, I asked Reed for a restaurant recommendation,” he says, a little awkwardly. “Since they’ve lived here for three years. Then I looked into some of their suggestions and… you’re not a vegan, are you?”

 

“No,” Heidi tells him with a smile. “I mean, I’m not against vegan food, but… no, I’m not.”

 

“Okay,” Seamus replies, seeming a little encouraged. “So I have a recommendation from Reed that seemed okay. But just in case, I asked Lucas. He’s in Boston a fair bit with his family, Reed tells me, and he also had some recommendations.” Seamus kind of smiles. “So it’s basically up to you. Do you want Reed’s recommendation or Lucas’s?”

 

Heidi doesn’t even really have to think about it. “How about we go with Lucas’s?” she says. She’s got a soft spot for Lucas, ever since they made cinnamon buns in the kitchen together during that horrible time where they all thought Evan had died at DYAD. “He’s a good kid.”

 

“That he is,” Seamus says, voice a little fond. “They’re all… they’re all good kids, the whole lot of them. I don’t know Reed, Lucas and Torpedo as well as I’d like, but I’m hoping that’ll change.” He looks over at her, expression a little shy. “I’m hoping I’ll get to know Evan a bit better, too.”

 

A couple of weeks ago, Heidi probably would have told him to shut the fuck up about her son. She honestly would. When she found out that Seamus had threatened him… it had taken a while for her to calm down about it all.

 

Evan’s recovery has been slow, and so has Connor’s. There have been countless sleepless nights for Heidi and she’s spent a lot of time in the hotel lobby, trying not to completely lose her mind over what her son is going through.

 

Seamus has been there.

 

He’s been calm and steady and no-nonsense and unfailingly practical in the face of this impossible situation. His way of dealing things is systematic and straightforward and Heidi appreciates it more than she can say.

 

On those nights she couldn’t sleep, Seamus would be there with an almost sixth sense. He’d make a cup of tea for both of them, they’d sit and talk and make a plan for the next day. What they were making for breakfast. Who was going to accompany Gus on a walk with Pampushka. What groceries they’d need to pick up for meals. What time Melody and Christina would be dropping by to help with therapy for the boys.

 

At times when Heidi was going out of her mind with the what ifs and the overwhelming enormity of it all, Seamus had an uncanny ability to make it all seem simple. Practical. To break things down into easy tasks they can all feel good about having completed at the end of the day.

 

Heidi’s never needed anyone to take care of her.

 

But she does quite like the fact that there’s someone there to help.

 

She’d asked Seamus about his approach once and he’d confessed that a lot of it was from necessity. “When Gus first came to live with me, he was pretty traumatized,” Seamus had said, sitting on a sofa in the lobby in the middle of the night while their children slept. “He’d been tortured. Starved. Taught that he had to… had to hurt himself.” He’d gone pale at the memory, and Heidi had felt like shit for bringing up bad memories. “He used to… carve wings into his back with a knife. It was supposed to make him pure, help him atone for his sins. It took a long time for him to stop doing that.”

 

“I’m so sorry.”

 

Seamus had clenched his jaw a little, then nodded. “I’m not an expert on all things mental health, and I’d never claim to be, but I’ve always tried my best. I don’t… I don’t like feeling helpless, so if I can focus on the things that I can do, it makes me feel better, and it helps if things are overwhelming. With Gus, it was a case of doing the simple things. Giving him food. A bed to sleep in. Getting into a routine where he ate regularly and slept regularly. Pampushka helped him a lot more than I ever did, but I tried.” Seamus had looked a little sheepish and Heidi remembers reaching out and taking his hand impulsively then, squeezing it gently. He’d looked… a little taken aback, but he’d smiled at her, and...

 

Heidi still thinks that Seamus isn’t giving himself enough credit for how Gus turned out.

 

“I hope you get to know Evan a bit better, too,” says Heidi, smiling a little. “And I’d like to know Gus and Connor better.”

 

Seamus smiles back, his whole face lighting up.

 

He’s got a nice smile.

 

Heidi wants to see it more often.

 

They pull into the parking lot of an Italian restaurant that looks… expensive. Heidi kind of frowns a little at the sight of it and is about to say something when Seamus looks at her and smiles.

 

“Lucas was pretty insistent that I take you somewhere nice,” Seamus says. “He says the food here is fantastic and that you deserve a nice night out.” He breaks into a slightly rueful smile. “He may have also said something about kicking my ass if I don’t treat you right.”

 

Heidi laughs. She’s oddly flattered. “He’s a sweet kid but I think you could take him.”

 

“Pretty sure he’d have to get in line to kick my ass,” says Seamus. “He can have a place after Evan, Gus and Connor. And that’s all once I’ve kicked my own ass for screwing things up.”

 

“Coming on a little strong there, Mr. Sadler,” says Heidi, feeling butterflies take flight inside her stomach.

 

“Just calling it how I see it,” says Seamus with a wink. Before Heidi can respond, he’s out of the driver’s seat and around the other side of the car, opening the door for her, which is just…

 

So completely unnecessary yet still kind of charming.

 

When they get inside the restaurant, Heidi’s immediately taken by the atmosphere of the place. It’s fancy, yes, but it’s cozy and it feels… comfortable. They’re seated almost immediately, as Seamus has made a reservation, and they look through the drinks menu for a brief moment before Heidi orders a glass of the cheapest merlot on the menu and Seamus orders a ginger ale. Heidi feels bad for ordering wine for a moment and almost goes to change her order, but Seamus just smiles at her.

 

“You deserve a glass of wine,” he says gently. “I’m driving, so don’t worry about it.”

 

“Are you trying to get me to lower my inhibitions?” Heidi teases and Seamus goes bright red, trying to stammer out a response. “I’m kidding. I’ll just have the one glass.”

 

The waiter leaves them to look through the menu and Heidi tries not to stare at the prices. She remembers that Lucas’s parents are those whole old money, high society types, so he probably didn’t even think of the prices, but Heidi’s not comfortable with just assuming Seamus will pay and she’s technically on a break from work and the house sale hasn’t come through yet and-

 

“Heidi,” Seamus says gently, breaking her out of her panic. “Order whatever you like, it’s on me.”

 

“We can split the bill,” she says stubbornly, not looking at him pointedly.

 

“If you really want split the bill, I won’t stop you,” says Seamus carefully. “But how about this - you pay for dinner next time we go out and you pick the restaurant.”

 

Heidi blinks and looks at him. Really looks at him.

 

She remembers having a similar argument with Trevor, except that he’d just… gone ahead and paid and not bothered even listening to her.

 

Seamus is offering to pay for dinner but he’s letting her have a choice. And giving her options.

 

It’s different.

 

She likes it.

 

“What if next time we have dinner I decide I want McDonald’s?” Heidi asks with a smile.

 

“Then I’ll order extra fries.”

 

“You can order as many fries as you want, Seamus,” says Heidi. She takes his hand. “Thank you for taking me out for dinner tonight.”

 

Seamus blushes, but smiles. “Don’t thank me yet. We haven’t eaten.”

 

Heidi laughs. “Because if the food’s terrible, that’s totally on you.”

 

Seamus raises his eyebrows. “How many points do I lose if the food is terrible?”

 

“Off the top of my head,” says Heidi, pretending to think, “about the same amount of points you’ve racked up so far for opening the door for me. So basically, if the food’s terrible you’re starting from zero.”

 

“Not the worst place to start,” Seamus replies with a wink. “Do I get to see the scorecard at the end of the night?”

 

“Depends on what it says,” Heidi shoots back.

 

“How I am supposed to improve without constructive feedback?”

 

“Oh, you’ll get plenty of feedback. It might just not be through the scorecard.”

 

Seamus grins wickedly. “What I’m getting from that is that you’re rather… vocal.”

 

Heidi’s definitely blushing. She should not be enjoying this nearly as much as she is.

 

The waiter shows up to offset any more awkwardness, and Heidi orders an almost reasonably priced chicken alfredo, and Seamus goes for a fettuccine that’s also pretty reasonably priced. As the waiter leaves, Seamus smiles at her and leans in a little.

 

“Shall we pretend this is a normal first date?” he says, his tone a little teasing. “Let’s pretend we’re two people who haven’t spent the last month in close proximity and this is just a normal first date.”

 

“Sounds good to me,” Heidi replies warmly. Here in this cozy restaurant, sipping a glass of wine in the candlelight with a handsome man in a suit in front of her, the nightmare she’s been living in ever since three idiots broke into her house feels like a distant memory. “So Seamus. What do you do for a living?”

 

“I’ve done some different things,” Seamus says. He looks more relaxed than she’s seen him for a while, and she likes it. “I’ve mostly worked in security. I’ll be looking for work here in Boston once autumn rolls around, but over the summer… well, I’ve actually offered to help a dear friend of mine.” He smiles wide. “You see, she’s got this old hotel, and it’s been being used by some people who’ve got themselves in a bit of a tight spot at the moment. And she’s got to thinking that it’s no use to anyone just sitting around empty. So we’re going to do what needs doing to get the place up to scratch over the summer and rent out rooms as affordable accommodation to those in need once it’s ready.”

 

Heidi hadn’t actually known this. She can’t help but smile. “I think that’s a great idea,” she says sincerely. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help. She sounds like a good person.”

 

Heidi’s met Renee a few times and likes her. Renee’s Irish, like Seamus, and they’ve known each other for over 15 years. Heidi knows about Seamus’s past, working to help people in danger disappear, and while she knows that what he’s been doing is illegal and a little dangerous, she can understand why he would.

 

Renee and Heidi spent an hour talking one afternoon while Seamus and Gus went for a walk and Connor and Evan rested. Renee told Heidi all about the day she was shot and how Seamus flat out refused to leave her behind. He’d carried her to safety, got her medical attention and kept her safe while she recovered. She’s been in a wheelchair ever since.

 

About ten years ago, Renee’s grandfather had passed on and left her a sizeable amount of money and this old hotel in his will, so she’d made the move to America. Seamus was in New York at the time, and he’d helped Renee get settled in Boston.

 

“He’s a good man with a good heart,” Renee had said to Heidi with a nod. “He carries a lot of heartbreak, though. I never met Anthea, and I hadn’t met the twins until now, but he’d talk about them a lot.” She’d smiled, a little sadly. “I was glad when he found the twins. Devastated at what they’d been through, especially Gus, but… glad to hear that Seamus had finally found them. He’s… he’s a lot happier these days.”

 

“I’m glad to hear it,” Heidi had said honestly. She still can’t really imagine what it would have been like to be separated from your children the way Seamus had been. Not having been able to see Evan grow up…

 

She can’t even imagine it.

 

“He smiles a lot around you,” Renee had replied, a smile curling around her lips as she sipped her cup of tea. “That’s… that’s new. I’ve known him for a very long time, so I’d know.”

 

Heidi hadn’t been sure what to think then so she’d just had another sip of her own tea.

 

Now, as she sits in a fancy Italian restaurant with Seamus, she’s still not a hundred percent sure what to think, but she definitely likes that he’s smiling.

 

She definitely likes that she can make him smile.

 

“So tell me about you,” Seamus says, eyes bright. “You’ve got a job lined up as a paralegal, I hear?”

 

“I do,” says Heidi, smiling. “It’s a full time role, which is a new challenge for me, but I’m looking forward to it. I’ve worked as a paralegal part time for the past two years, but before that I worked as a CNA for… ages. Then when my son was in his early teens, I decided that I wanted to… try something different.” She sighs. “It was… it was hard, juggling study and work and Evan, and I don’t think I always got it right, but I wanted to set a good example for Evan, you know? That you can always try to be better. Working as a paralegal pays a lot better than a CNA and I’m a lot happier and less run down, but sometimes I think that maybe… maybe I should have done it earlier, or later, or…” Heidi realizes she’s rambling and kind of smiles apologetically. “Sorry, I’m probably boring you.”

 

“You’re one of the least boring people I’ve ever met,” Seamus says, almost immediately. From the look on his face, he didn’t actually mean to say it, and Heidi thinks the butterflies in her stomach might be having some kind of rave.

 

“Thank you,” Heidi replies, a little awkwardly. “But yes. The answer to your question is yes, I have a job lined up as a paralegal. I’m looking forward to it.” She sighs a little. “There’s a lot to organize before I start, but… I think it’ll be good. I’ll be glad to be living closer to Evan.”

 

“Gus is excited about the idea of moving closer to Connor,” Seamus says, nodding in agreement. “It’s… it’s not fair that they’ve had to spend so much time apart.”

 

The waiter brings their food, and they both thank him then get stuck in. It’s probably the best chicken alfredo Heidi has ever eaten.

 

“How’s your fettuccine?” Heidi asks. “Because this alfredo is… kind of incredible.”

 

Seamus smiles wide. “Oh good, I don’t lose my door opening points after all.” Heidi rolls her eyes and he smiles even broader, then gestures to his meal with his fork. “This is amazing. Do you want to try some?”

 

“Do you want to try some of mine?” Heidi offers, and Seamus nods, and they swap plates for a moment. Heidi nods in approval. “This is… really good, oh my god.”

 

They swap plates back and it’s… nice. It’s just nice to be swapping plates and trying each other’s food, and it’s so incredibly comfortable that it’s kind of weirding Heidi out.

 

They’ve only known each other for a month. It shouldn’t be this easy.

 

“Connor and Gus seem really close,” Heidi comments once she’s got her own meal in front of her again. “Even if they haven’t seen each other much.”

 

Seamus nods and smiles a little. “Yeah, it’s… a little freaky sometimes. Must be an identical twin thing, I don’t really know.” His smiles fades a little. “I wish they’d had a chance to grow up together. I think they’re good for each other, you know? They balance each other out. I’m glad they’re going to be seeing each other more.”

 

Heidi nods, then swallows the bite she’s just finished chewing. “I think it’s amazing that Gus is so… well adjusted,” she confesses quietly. “After everything he’s been through. I think… I think he’s really lucky to have you, Seamus.”

 

Seamus blushes and looks vaguely uncomfortable. “It’s all him,” he insists. “It’s all Gus. He’s worked hard, I’ve just… I’ve just helped him figure out how.”

 

“He’s lucky to have you,” Heidi repeats, slowly and carefully. She doesn’t start eating again until Seamus looks at her. His expression softens as she meets her gaze and…

 

Heidi trusts him.

 

She trusts this man. She knows that he’s kind and he’s good and he cares so much about the people he loves.

 

She knows that he’s been through hell, and so has she, and even though their lives have been completely different, they’ve both muddled through, doing the best they can for their kids.

 

There’s this weird ache in her chest as she looks at Seamus. Heidi’s not a particularly sentimental person, or a particularly romantic person, but if she were she might think that her heart is trying to reach out to his because her heart recognizes something in Seamus’s.

 

She recognizes something in Seamus.

 

Something she thinks they could build something important on.

 

She thinks back to that afternoon in Evan’s apartment when the two of them came face to face with Veronica Harding, a DYAD head of security hellbent on finding Evan and killing him. She remembers the cold fear in her stomach, the moment she saw Veronica’s gun and the moment where Seamus pulled out his own weapon.

 

Heidi has never felt like someone needed to protect her.

 

But in that moment, seeing Seamus with his weapon made her feel safe.

 

“Your son helped down bring an organization I’ve been working for my entire career,” Veronica had said as she stared down Heidi with an intense look of hatred. “Obviously, you can see why I can’t let him live.”

 

“Kill me if you want,” Heidi had said immediately, “but you’re never getting anywhere near my son.”

 

There’d been something kind of sad in Veronica’s eyes at that moment. “Protective,” she’d said, smirking a little. “That’s nice, I suppose. More parents could stand to be like you.”

 

Seamus hadn’t stopped pointing his weapon directly at Veronica. His hands were steady, Heidi had noticed. “This doesn't have to end in bloodshed. We’re at a standstill, we can all just walk away.”

 

Heidi had known, somehow, that Seamus didn’t really believe that.

 

“I don’t care if you kill me,” Veronica had said bitterly.  “I have nothing left. Whatever’s left of DYAD will kill me when they find me, Dominic’s dead and all I have is revenge.” Her eyes had never left Heidi, and her next words made her blood run cold.  “Killing you would destroy your son, wouldn’t it? Utterly destroy him. From what I hear, he barely got out of DYAD alive.”

 

“Evan’s not responsible for Dominic’s death,” Seamus had said before Heidi could even think of replying.  “Think about it. You know this.”

 

Seamus didn’t want to kill, Heidi had realized. He didn’t want to kill this woman, but he would if he had to. Heidi understood that. Heidi respected that.

 

“No,” Veronica had said, like she was thinking about it.  “It was Larry Murphy. And since his wife’s dead and I don’t know where his son is… his daughter.” At that, Veronica had smiled brightly and Heidi had felt absolute terror wrap a cold hand around her stomach.

 

Zoe.

 

This woman wanted to kill Zoe.

 

Heidi knows that Zoe Murphy isn’t her kid, but she’s always been fond of her, and in that moment she’d been terrified. Terrified they wouldn’t survive this encounter with Veronica, terrified Veronica would hunt Zoe down, terrified she’d hunt Evan down…

 

“Larry Murphy has a daughter, that’s right!” Veronica had continued cheerfully. “She’s in Vermont. It wouldn’t take long to find Zoe. Put a bullet in her pretty little head to match her father-”

 

Seamus pulled the trigger before Veronica could finish her sentence and shot her right between the eyes.

 

Heidi had watched as the woman fell to the floor and felt… relief.

 

She’d known before that moment that Seamus would do anything for his people. He’d do anything for his boys, his family. But at that moment, Heidi realized suddenly that it went further than that.

 

That Seamus counted Zoe as his people. And Evan.

 

And her.

 

Heidi had stared at the fallen body of Veronica Harding in disgust, and Seamus had cleared his throat and looked at her. He looked… scared, and a little defensive.

 

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” Seamus had said, after a moment’s silence.

 

The look on his face…

 

He didn’t look ashamed, but he looked like he expected her to judge. Expected her to be horrified or upset or…

 

“You made the right call,” Heidi had said, as firmly as could. “There was no other way this could have gone.”

 

“I wasn’t going to let her shoot you,” Seamus had replied, his voice equally firm.

 

They’d locked eyes then and Heidi had felt the cold fear in her stomach melt away. “I know, Seamus. I’m glad you’re here.”

 

They decide against getting dessert at this restaurant, as nothing looks super appealing and it’s all really expensive. Seamus pays the bill, after making sure Heidi’s okay with it, then they head out of the restaurant and back to Seamus’s car where he, once again, opens the door for her, which is just… too cute.

 

“There’s a place that does gelato not too far away from the hotel,” Heidi says once they’re in the car. “How about it? My treat?”

 

Seamus smiles. “You’re on. Just tell me where we’re going.”

 

It turns out Seamus is very good at following directions, which Heidi definitely likes. They get to the gelato place and each order a cone. Heidi insists on paying even as Seamus tries to argue that they’re technically still on his date.

 

“Don’t worry,” Heidi assures him with a smile. “I’ll still pay for McDonald’s.”

 

“And afterwards, I’ll buy you a whole cheesecake,” Seamus counters, before taking a bite of his gelato. He gets some on his nose and Heidi reaches over to wipe it off, and all of a sudden their faces are very close.

 

Heidi blushes, then pulls back. “Sorry about that. You just had… gelato.”

 

“Can I kiss you?” Seamus blurts out.

 

Heidi nods, and his eyes light up, and then his lips are on hers and they’re softer than expected. It’s a little weird, because his mouth is kind of cold from the gelato, and so is hers, but she’s never felt more warm, and she lets herself get lost in it until she realizes that her cone of gelato is melting all over her hand.

 

They both pull away, and Seamus looks a little bit dazed but definitely happy, and his gelato is melting all over his hand, too. They both laugh, and finish their gelato, and Heidi gets napkins so they can clean up a little, and they walk back to Seamus’s car hand in hand.

 

Seamus opens the door for her again, and when he’s sitting in the driver’s seat, Heidi leans over and kisses him again. She can feel him smiling under her lips.

 

It’s nice.

 

It’s really nice.

 

When they get back to the hotel, Seamus takes her hand and they head in through the lobby. Heidi sees that Evan, Connor and Gus are sitting on the couches watching something on Netflix with Pampushka. She’s a little surprised.

 

Evan hasn’t voluntarily spent time with the twins in weeks.

 

“How’s it going?” she asks Evan as they approach. You need me to help you upstairs?”

 

Evan shakes his head. “I’m fine.” He gestures to the pizza. “We ate, as you can see.”

 

Heidi smiles softly at him. “I’m glad.” She leans down and kisses him on the forehead. “You okay?”

  
Evan nods. “I’m okay.” And he does look okay. And it makes Heidi feel better about things.

 

Maybe Evan is healing after all.

 

“Good. Good, that’s really good.”

 

Gus hangs over the edge of the sofa, smiling at Seamus. “We watch Handsome Funny John.”

  
Seamus chuckles, and it’s nice to see Seamus and his son like this. “Is he still handsome and funny?”  
  
  
  
“Yes,” Gus says, nodding. “Very much.”

  
“Handsome Funny John?” Heidi asks, not sure she’s following.

  
Evan just shrugs. Connor’s still looking at the screen, but he’s the one who answers. “John Mulaney. He’s a comedian Gus likes.”

 

It doesn’t ring any bells for Heidi, but she nods anyway. Seamus takes her hand and they head toward the kitchen, Seamus saying something about getting a cup of tea.

 

“You and your tea,” Heidi teases, pulling out mugs in what’s now a familiar routine.

 

“Well, I am Irish,” he says, taking a gallon of milk out of the fridge. “I can put some whiskey in it if you’d like.”

 

Heidi’s feeling light and soft. “What the hell, I’ll have whiskey in my tea.”

 

Seamus grins, then pulls a bottle of whiskey from behind a bottle of hot sauce, and puts a dash in each of their cups. “There you go.”

 

“Thank you for tonight,” Heidi says softly. “I’ve had a lovely time.”

 

“Are you glad Jenny talked you into it?” Seamus says with a bit of a smirk.

 

Heidi just stares at him for a moment then cracks up laughing. “Did she tell you? Oh my god, I’m never trusting that woman again.”

 

“She didn’t say a word,” Seamus replies, laughing as well. “But she did mention it to Torpedo, who told the rest of the clones in a group chat, and Connor let it slip a few days ago. I think it was an accident.”

 

“Oh my god.”

 

Jenny Hetherington, Torpedo’s mom, had been in town the previous week for work and had insisted on taking Heidi out for coffee, which Heidi was happy to agree to. She likes Jenny - she’s smart, she’s funny, she cares about her kids and she’s taking the whole clone thing in her stride much more than Heidi thinks she would have if she’d found out that her son was a clone.

 

It’s weird enough that her son used to _date_ a clone.

 

“So how are things going at the hotel?” Jenny had asked, frowning a little. “How’s Evan?”

 

“Better,” Heidi had assured her, and she’d meant it. “Comparatively, I mean. He’s… he’s nowhere near completely okay, but… he’s doing better. He’s on medication, he’s seeing Melody, he’s… he’s working toward being okay.”

 

“I’m glad to hear that,” Jenny had said gently. Then her face had shifted and she’d smiled wickedly. “So have you gotten a little Irish in you yet?”

 

Heidi had very nearly spit out her coffee. “I’m sorry, what?”

 

“Seamus,” Jenny said, still with that wicked smile. “You two are hot for each other. The sexual tension is maddening.”

 

“The sexual tension is not maddening,” Heidi shot back, rolling her eyes.

 

“Even Torpedo noticed it,” said Jenny. “And Torpedo’s asexual and aromantic. And also unobservant as all hell. If he’s noticed it, then it’s obvious.”

 

“Oh my god.” Heidi groaned. “I just… I have bigger things to worry about than my love life.” She’d chuckled a little weakly. “I don’t think I’ve worried about my love life since before Evan was born.”

 

“I get that,” said Jenny with a sympathetic smile. “For what it’s worth, I think he’s a good guy. Torpedo’s told me a lot about Seamus. He really helped them when he first found out about them. Torpedo says he’s someone they can trust - he was the first person they called when they found out about… what happened to Connor.”

 

“I know he’s a good guy,” Heidi confessed. “I just… I haven’t done this in a long time.”

 

“Aha,” said Jenny, a little triumphantly. “So these are just regular nerves. Well, what’s the worst that could happen?”

 

“Someone could end up murdered.”

 

Jenny winced. “Okay, yeah, I shouldn’t have said that. Look, Heidi. You’re great. He’s great. You’re all heading out of that hotel soon, so why not… I don’t know, take him for a spin while he’s still right there. If it’s bad, you’ve only got a little bit of time until you can literally never see him again if that’s what you want.”

 

Heidi raised her eyebrows then. “I said I’d have dinner with him, not have sex with him on the kitchen countertop.”

 

Jenny’s eyes lit up then and she’d started to almost cackle. “You’re the one who brought up the kitchen countertop, Heidi. Methinks thou doth protest too much.”

 

“I hate Shakespeare.”

 

Now that Heidi’s in the kitchen and the countertop is right there, Jenny’s teasing remarks don’t seem quite as funny. Seamus has loosened his tie and unbuttoned his suit jacket and he looks younger and freer and Heidi can’t quite help herself from pulling him in for a kiss, which he happily sinks into.

 

It takes a while for Heidi to realize that they’re making out like teenagers in this public kitchen. Seamus’s hands are in her hair, she’s fumbling at the buttons on his shirt, and this is completely out of character for her but she likes it and she’s been so stressed out recently that kissing this nice, kind, handsome man is exactly what she needs and -

 

They’re interrupted by a sound of surprise and a word in a language Heidi doesn’t know. They pull apart briefly to see Gus in the doorway to the kitchen, looking absolutely scandalized. Heidi looks at Seamus and notices that he’s got lipstick all over his face. Seamus turns to Gus and is about to say something when Gus says something Heidi doesn’t understand then leaves, his dog in tow.

 

“What was that?” Heidi asks. “I didn’t catch what he said.”

 

“He said sorry,” Seamus replies, his face a little pink with embarrassment. “In Ukrainian.”

 

“You speak Ukrainian?”

 

Seamus shakes his head. “Not really. Just a few words.”

 

They kind of stare at each other for a while, then Heidi starts laughing. “Honestly, look at the two of us. Making out like teenagers in a kitchen when there are perfectly good beds upstairs.”

 

Seamus’s eyes widen. “Do you want to go upstairs with me?” he blurts out, almost like he doesn’t mean to be asking.

 

Heidi considers it. “I really do,” she replies.

 

It’s been a very long time since Heidi has had sex on the first date.

 

She wakes up the next morning before Seamus, their bodies still tangled together, and she looks at him for a moment.

 

He’s smiling in his sleep.

 

It’s adorable.

 

Heidi doesn’t have any regrets about last night.

 

“Morning,” Seamus mumbles. He’s not quite a hundred percent awake, but he’s getting there, and he’s cute in the mornings and Heidi’s more than a little bit smitten.

 

“Good morning to you,” she replies, snuggling closer.

 

“You doing okay?” he asks, putting his arm around her. His voice is a little concerned, and he’s definitely awake now. “I know it was… we’ve moved a bit fast, but-”

 

“No regrets,” Heidi assures him. “It was great. I think you’re great.”

 

“I think you’re an incredible woman,” Seamus says, looking at her intently. “I think you’re brave and strong and caring and kind and so, so beautiful.”

 

“No need to lay it on so thick,” Heidi says, trying not to blush. “You’ve already got me in bed with you.”

 

“Well, I’d kind of like to keep you in my bed regularly, so…”

 

Heidi pulls him in for a gentle kiss, despite the morning breath, and soon they’re all tangled limbs and heated kisses yet again.

 

It’s mid-morning when they reluctantly decide it’s time to face the day. They both get dressed, Seamus putting on the shirt and pants from his suit last night, and they both head out of Heidi’s room - Heidi to check on Evan and Seamus to get changed in his own room.

 

Heidi’s just shutting the door when all of a sudden the service elevator bings and Connor gets out of the elevator, still in his pajamas. He takes one look at Seamus, outside Heidi’s room in the clothes he wore last night, and cracks up laughing.

 

“Good morning, Connor,” says Seamus, a little wearily.

 

Connor breaks into a grin. “Gus owes me twenty dollars,” he says triumphantly, before turning and heading back to his room.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from 'Kathleen' by Josh Ritter.


End file.
